A Treasure House of Maine's Past

The collections of the Maine State Museum preserve and present the State's rich natural and human histories. The strong geological collection began in the 1830s when systematic collecting was first undertaken in the region. The biological holdings include mounted specimens (especially Maine birds) and smaller groups including shells, eggs, and insects.

The Maine-related archaeological and ethnographic collections are among the best and include materials dating from the first Native Americans in the area about 12,000 years ago. The ethnographic holdings have large groups of crafts including baskets, basketmaking tools, beadwork, and birch bark objects, from small boxes to full sized canoes.

The historical collection covers all areas of human activity and is especially rich in the areas of technology and the domestic and decorative arts. The technology holdings range from a superb collection of Maine-made woodworking tools to agricultural equipment, to a 1912 glider flown by a 12 year old boy. The museum's Maine-related furniture, silver, pewter, and glass collections are unsurpassed. The textile, costume, and domestic life holdings are exceptionally strong as is the body of material relating to recreation, both in the woods and on the water's edge.

Finally, the museum's collection of archival materials includes diaries, journals, account books, newspapers, and ephemera representing the State's past. Several thousand images (photographs and negatives) make the museum one of the strongest repositories of Maine photographic history.

N.B. Most of the artifacts included in this section of the web site are not currently on exhibit.

Online Collections Database
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The contents of this Web site are available for personal use and may be freely accessed or downloaded on a temporary basis for the sole purpose of viewing, or for fair use as defined in the United States copyright law. Any such use must be properly attributed to the Maine State Museum. Manipulation or redistribution in any form for commercial use, including commercial publication, or for personal gain is strictly prohibited.

The Maine State Museum, and other parties, including licensing agencies, hold the copyright to the images, design, and text in our Web site. Please contact the Curator for Photography, Art, and Archives at the Maine State Museum for information on the availability of images for publishing or commercial use.